Top drive

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for manipulating and deploying lengths of pipe when drilling wells is provided. The apparatus has a motor assembly with a rotor shaft coupled to a drive gear, and a torque assembly with a planetary gear set coupled to the drive gear of the motor and an annular gear. Planet gears are coupled to a torque converter, which is coupled to a stub for connecting to pipe joints. The torque converter has inclined surfaces for circulating lubricant through the gear assembly, and the planet gears have openings in registration with the inclined surfaces. A drilling fluid pipe is disposed through the rotor shaft of the motor assembly, and is coupled to the torque converter. Lead-screw linear actuators position an elevator, which hangs from links hooked to the apparatus, to manipulate the drill string, and a self-locking pipe jaw handles pipe joints.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/330,764, filed May 3, 2010, which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Disclosure

Embodiments described herein relate to apparatus for connecting drill strings for a petroleum well. More specifically, embodiments disclosed herein relate to a top drive device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Production of oil and gas is a trillion dollar industry. To get oil and gas out of the earth, large costly equipment is used under extreme conditions. Among this equipment are devices that align drill pipe for extending into a well bore. Such devices, known as top drives, are generally used to string pipe together for insertion into the well bore. Top drives are also used to rotate a drill string as the drilling operation progresses. A well is completed using a drill head coupled to a drill string that extends into the well bore as the drill head extends the well bore. The drill string also serves as a conduit for drilling fluids that lubricate the drill head and remove drilling solids.

A platform is generally deployed over the well bore for supporting tools, such as the top drive, for manipulating the drill string. A spider generally holds the drill string extending into the well bore, and the top drive rotates the drill string. As the well bore extends, the top drive moves closer to the spider. When the top drive and the spider reach a pre-determined distance from each other, the top drive disengages from the drill string. The spider holds the drill string while the top drive engages a new spool into the string. The top drive lifts a new spool over the drill string, aligns it, and applies torque to thread the new spool into the drill string. The spider then releases the drill string, and the top drive begins lowering the drill string further into the well bore. A similar operation may be used to insert bore casing or other well bore components. The same operation may be run in reverse to remove well bore components.

Well drilling is generally performed in locations that are remote and may be difficult to supply with large equipment and spare parts. In some locations, space to store spare parts may be limited. Further, maintenance of well drilling equipment can be costly in terms of lost production. It is desirable therefore to provide equipment for well drilling sites that is easily obtained, standardized as much as possible, readily stored, and easily replaced at convenient times. There remains an ongoing need for top drives that are easy to operate, assemble, and maintain, and can operate until convenient or economically attractive opportunities arise to maintain them.

SUMMARY

Embodiments described herein provide a top drive assembly that has a frame, a rotation assembly coupled to the frame, the rotation assembly having a fluid conduit disposed therethrough, the fluid conduit disposed within an isolation sleeve with a pressure sensor, a torque assembly rotatably coupled to the fluid conduit, the torque assembly having one or more gears and a fluid circulator, a screw-actuated tilt thruster coupled to the frame, and an articulated pipe handler coupled to the frame.

Other embodiments provide a torque assembly for a top drive that has a casing enclosing a planetary gear assembly, a circulator coupled to a plurality of planet gears, and a plurality of baffles extending from the circulator between the planet gears.

Other embodiments provide a rotational assembly for a top drive apparatus having a motor assembly comprising a shaft coupled to a rotor, the shaft having a conduit formed therethrough and coupled to a driver gear, and a torque assembly comprising an annular gear and a plurality of planet gears in registration with the driver gear, wherein the planet gears are rotatably coupled to a torque member.

Other embodiments provide a positioner for a top drive assembly, the positioner having a swivel, a strut pivotably coupled to a pivot point of the swivel, a linear actuator slidably coupled to the strut and pivotably coupled to a thrust point of the swivel, and a self-locking gripper assembly coupled to the swivel by a lift actuator.

Other embodiments provide a pipe handler for a top drive assembly, the pipe handler having a pair of grippers, a linear actuator coupled to each gripper at a thrust end, and pivotably mounted to a base member at a pivot end, and a flexible linkage pivotably coupled to each gripper at a first end and pivotably coupled to the base member at a second end.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

So that the manner in which the above-recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

FIG. 1A is an isometric view of an apparatus according to one embodiment.

FIG. 1B is another isometric view of the apparatus of FIG. 1A from a different viewpoint.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of FIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of a motor assembly according to one embodiment.

FIG. 3B is a detail view of the motor assembly of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of a gearbox assembly according to one embodiment.

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of a torque member according to another embodiment.

FIG. 4C is a top view of the gearbox assembly of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4D is a detail view of the gearbox assembly of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a thruster according to another embodiment.

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the thruster of FIG. 5A.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a pipe jaw according to another embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a detail view of a rotational actuator according to another embodiment.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements disclosed in one embodiment may be beneficially utilized on other embodiments without specific recitation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments described herein provide apparatus for supporting and extending well bore components into a bore hole. FIGS. 1A and 1B are isometric views of an apparatus 100 according to one embodiment. The apparatus 100 is of a type generally referred to as a “top drive” for manipulating well bore components such as drill strings and casings extended into a well. The apparatus 100 comprises a plurality of supports 102 that support the apparatus 100 from a swing mount 104. The swing mount 104 enables the apparatus 100 to hang vertically over the well bore when manipulating downhole components. The apparatus 100 further comprises a motor assembly 106, a gearbox assembly 108 coupled to the motor assembly 106, and a workpiece handling assembly 110. The gearbox assembly 108 couples torque from the motor assembly 106 to a stub 126, which in turn couples to a workpiece, such as a piece of drill pipe or casing, for attachment to a downhole string.

The workpiece handling assembly 110 comprises a pair of elevator supports 114 that hang from hooks 116 coupled to a swivel 128. An elevator (not shown) is hung from the supports 114 and lifts workpieces for coupling to the stub 126. The motor assembly 106, through the gearbox assembly 108, turns the stub 126 to engage a workpiece, and then turns the workpiece to engage with, or disengage from, a downhole string. A pair of thrusters 118 swing the elevator support 114 to position the elevator with respect to a workpiece to be lifted, or to position the elevator with respect to the apparatus 100. The thrusters 118 may be continuously extended or retracted to any position within their stroke to achieve differential positioning of the elevator. When fully retracted, the thrusters 118 may be configured to locate the elevator in an operating position away from the rotating drill string. The thrusters 118 are continuously extendable from a fully retracted position to a fully extended position, so the elevator may be positioned at any location between the fully retracted (i.e. operating) position and the fully extended position. For example, the elevator may be positioned to access a fingerboard (i.e. pipe storage rack) or mousehole (i.e. staging location for the next joint of drill pipe or casing), and the elevator may be positioned to align a length of drill pipe or casing over the drill hole. The continuous positioning capability of the thrusters 118 allows precision positioning of the elevators for maximum effectiveness.

FIG. 1B shows another viewpoint of the apparatus 100. The workpiece handling assembly 110 further comprises a gripper assembly 120 for holding a workpiece in place and preventing rotation of the workpiece as the stub 126 engages with the workpiece. The gripper assembly 120 comprises a frame 122 to which a gripper 124 is coupled The frame 122 supports the gripper 124 and allows differential positioning of the gripper 124 with respect to the stub 126.

Referring again to FIG. 1A, each of the supports 102 has a collar portion 130 that at least partially surrounds a housing 132 of the gearbox assembly 108 at a lower portion thereof, supporting the gearbox assembly 108 and motor assembly 106. The collar portion 130 spreads the load on the housing 132 from lifting drill joints, strings, and casings.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the integrated motor assembly 106 and gearbox assembly 108 of the apparatus 100. The motor assembly 106 comprises a motor 200 with a central conduit 202 formed therein. A motor shaft 204 extends through the conduit 202 emerging from the motor 200 and entering the gearbox assembly 108 to engage a driver gear 206. A drilling fluid conduit 208 is disposed through the motor shaft 204 to deliver drilling fluid through the motor assembly 106, gearbox assembly 108, and stub 126 into the drill string. The motor 200 further comprises a stator 210 and rotor 230. In most embodiments, the motor 200 is a standard variable speed motor, any suitable variant of which may be used.

The housing 132 of the gearbox assembly 108 forms an enclosure 214 in which the gearbox components are disposed. A lid plate 216 defines an upper extent of the gearbox assembly 108. The gearbox assembly comprises a planetary gear set 218 that transmits torque from the motor 200 down to the stub 126. The planetary gear set 218 comprises a plurality of planet gears 220 in registration with the driver gear 206, also referred to as a “sun gear”, and with a peripheral gear 222 coupled to the housing 132. Each of the planet gears 220 is coupled to a torque member 224 by a spindle 226 that seats in an opening 228 in the torque member 224. Each planet gear 220 rotates about the spindle 226 and applies a shear force to the spindle 226 as it rolls along the peripheral gear 222, which may be an annular gear. The spindle 226 applies torque to the torque member 224.

The drilling fluid conduit 208 extends through the driver gear 206 and seat in an opening 250 in the torque member 224. Drilling fluid is delivered through the torque member 224 to the stub 126. The drilling fluid conduit 208 comprises a plurality of longitudinal ribs, not visible in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, that mate with longitudinal grooves in the opening 250 of the torque member 224 so the drilling fluid conduit 208 rotates with the torque member 224 at a different angular velocity from the motor shaft 204. This reduces surface velocity for rotary seals deployed along the drilling fluid conduit 208.

The drill string coupled to the stub 126 shifts in a longitudinal direction and in all radial directions of the gearbox assembly 108 during operation. For this reason, various thrust bearings are provided to protect the gearbox assembly 108 from stresses due to this motion. A first thrust bearing 232 provides support to an upper portion of the torque member 224, while a second thrust bearing 234, which may be plurality of thrust bearings as shown in FIG. 2, provides support to a lower portion of the torque member 224. The first thrust bearing 232 generally rides against the gearbox housing 132, and may comprise rollers or sliders of any convenient type to facilitate frictionless motion between the first thrust bearing 232 and the gearbox housing 132. The second thrust bearing 234 rides against a spacer 236 that maintains position of the second thrust bearing (or bearings) 234 relative to the first thrust bearing 232 and the gearbox housing 132. The second thrust bearing 234 may rest on a third thrust bearing 238, which generally provides longitudinal support to the torque member 224 through the second thrust bearing 234 and the spacer 236. Alignment of the torque member 224 with the various components of the apparatus 100 is thus maintained during operation.

The motor shaft 204 has a brake assembly 242 that comprises a disk coupled to the shaft 204, one or more shoes 246, a friction member 244, and a stop 248. The friction member 244 is a thrust member that urges the shoes 246 against the disk 240. The stop 248 ensures that as the thrust member urges the shoes 246 against the disk 240, any deformation of the disk 240 away from the frictional force of the shoes 246 is minimized, such that friction develops along the disk 240. In operation, under some circumstances, rotation of the motor shaft 204 may need to be stopped. For example, should the motor fail, torque in the drill string may uncouple joints from the drill string, resulting in expensive downtime to rebuild the drill string. The brake assembly 242 will prevent rotation of the motor shaft 204, and by extension the gearbox assembly 108 and the drill string coupled to the stub 126, to prevent unwinding the drill string. The friction member 244 may be extended toward the shoes 246 by hydraulic, electromechanical, or preferably pneumatic means. Use of a brake assembly with a disk coupled to the rotor shaft and extending outward to the friction member increases lever arm available to the friction member for controlling rotation of the shaft, reducing wear on the braking assembly.

FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the motor assembly 106. The motor 200 is aligned along a longitudinal axis of the apparatus 100. The rotor 230 rotates the shaft 204 which is coupled to the rotor 230 and extends beyond both ends of the rotor 230. The driver gear 206 is coupled to the shaft by fasteners 308. The drilling fluid conduit 208 couples to a gooseneck 304 at a first end and extends through the rotor 230, the shaft 302, and the driver gear 206 to deliver drilling fluids to the drill string.

Drilling fluids are often provided under extreme pressure, sometimes exceeding 7,500 psi. The gooseneck 304 is therefore sealed to the drilling fluid conduit 208 by a seal block 310. To monitor for failure of the drilling fluid conduit 208 within the motor assembly 106, an annulus 306 is provided between the drilling fluid conduit 208 and the shaft 302, and one or more pressure sensors 312 is coupled to the annulus 306. The annulus 306 is sealed by the seal block 310 at a first end, and by a seal 314 between the shaft 204 and the drilling fluid conduit 208 at a second end. A pressure relief pathway 315 may be provided to further protect any of the seals at either end of the shaft 204. Any failure of the drilling fluid conduit 208 inside the shaft 204 may result in a large pressure spike in the annulus 306, which can be detected by the pressure sensor 312 and relieved by the pressure relief pathway 315. Any number of pressure sensors 312 may be provided, according to the needs of different embodiments. The pressure relief pathway 315 may be coupled to any suitable pressure relief device, such as a pressure relief valve.

FIG. 3B is a detail view of a seal block 310 according to one embodiment. The gooseneck 304 couples to the drilling fluid conduit 208 by an upper coupling 348 and a lower coupling 350. The lower coupling 350 encloses a seal assembly that comprises a plurality of seals and seal rings, with portals for placing pressuring sensors in fluid communication with the various seal points to monitor for successive seal failures. The seal assembly seals the annulus 306 in the event of failure of the drilling fluid conduit, and provides monitoring of the seals to detect seal failure. As noted above, the annulus 306 may further be monitored by a pressure sensor such as the pressure sensor 315 of FIG. 3A.

A first o-ring 326 seals a seam between a first seal ring 322 and the drilling fluid conduit 208. The first o-ring 326 is held by a second seal ring 328 and a third seal ring 338, which cooperatively define a first o-ring channel 356. The third seal ring 338 comprises a first portal 334 for placing a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the first o-ring channel 356 to monitor for failure of the first o-ring 326. A fourth seal ring 342, along with the third seal ring 338, cooperatively defines a second o-ring channel 352, in which a second o-ring 336 provides a second seal against the drilling fluid conduit 208. The fourth seal ring 342 comprises a second portal 344 for placing a second pressure sensor in fluid communication with the second o-ring channel 352 to monitor for failure of the second o-ring 336. Should the first o-ring 326 fail, the seam between the second and third seal rings 328 and 338 is sealed by a third o-ring 330. The seam between the third seal ring 338 and the fourth seal ring 342 is sealed on either side of the first portal 334 by a fourth o-ring 358 and a fifth o-ring 340. Additional safety seals 346 are provided in the fourth seal ring 342. The sealing system of FIG. 3B provides redundant sealing of the annulus 306 and annunciation of seal failures such that economically attractive opportunities may be taken to replace the seal block 310.

In one aspect, some embodiments provide a method of providing drilling fluid to a wellbore, the method comprising providing a conduit from a drilling fluid pump to the down hole drill string. The conduit may be enclosed to form an isolation space around at least a portion of the conduit, which can be monitored for leakage of drilling fluids from the conduit. Any type of sensor may be deployed to monitor the isolation space, such as pressure sensors, temperature sensors, conductivity sensors, and so on. In one embodiment, a pressure sensor is coupled to the isolation space to monitor for pressure spikes from drilling fluids leaking into the space. Multiple sensors may be coupled to the isolation space to provide redundant monitoring in case one sensor fails. The sensors may all be of the same type, or of different types. In one embodiment, a plurality of pressure sensors is coupled to the isolation space to provide redundant monitoring.

In other embodiments, the drilling fluid conduit 208 may be surrounded by a plurality of isolation spaces. The drilling fluid conduit 208 may be formed with ribs that contact an inner surface of the motor shaft 204 at seal surfaces, forming individual isolation spaces that may be individually monitored, if desired, and provide further sealing redundancy. Such further redundancy may provide further protection for the bottom seal 314, for example. Still other embodiments may comprise a drilling fluid conduit 208 with longitudinal ribs extending the full length of the conduit 208. The ribs may improve strength of the conduit 208 at high pressures, enabling drilling fluid pressures within the conduit exceeding 10,000 psi for deeper well bores.

The driver gear 206 of the motor assembly 106 is positioned at the center of the gearbox assembly 108 and meshes with the planet gears 220 to drive rotation of the torque member 224. FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the gearbox assembly 108 and the swivel 128. The swivel 128 comprises a casing 452 and a load collar 446 inside the casing 452. The load collar 446 is coupled to the housing 212 of the gearbox assembly 108 by a first plurality of inserts 448 that fit into grooves in the housing 212 and the collar 446. The casing 452, is in turn coupled to the collar 446 by a second plurality of inserts 450 that fit into grooves in the collar 446. A shoulder of the casing 452 rests on the second plurality of inserts 450. The inserts 448 and 450 ensure that when a drill string is suspended from an elevator hanging from the sides of the swivel 128, the load from the drill string, which may in some cases exceed one million pounds, is not concentrated on fasteners such as bolts. The inserts 448 and 450 distribute the load around the periphery of the housing 212 and collar 446 and among the load points thereof.

The collar 446 defines an internal space 456 of the swivel 128 that provides a longitudinal degree of freedom for the stub 126 to move independently from the rest of the apparatus 100. The stub 126 is coupled to the torque member 224 by a spool 434 fastened to the torque member 224 by fasteners. A sleeve 436 couples to the spool 434 at an upper end and to the stub 126 at a lower end. The sleeve 436 may move within the internal space 456 of the collar 446 if needed to decouple longitudinal movement of the stub from the apparatus 100. An extension 438 mates with the sleeve 436 to form a chamber 440 between the sleeve and the extension 438. A portal 442 allows application of pressurized gas, such as air, into the chamber 440. The force of the pressurized gas raises the sleeve 436 within the collar 446, lifting the stub 126 and any pipe attached thereto. Such movement may be useful to reduce longitudinal force on pipe joints when engaging or disengaging them. The reduced stress on the thread joints reduces the opportunity for damaging threads. The sleeve 436 may move upward to occupy the space 444 between the upper end of the sleeve 436 and a bottom plate 458 of the housing 212.

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the torque member 224. The openings 228 into which the spindles 226 seat are located a distance “D” from a central axis of the torque member 224, the distance D depending on the desired torque transmission from the motor to the pipe joints and strings below. The planet gears 220 are sized to mate with the driver gear 206 at the center of the gearbox assembly 108 and with a peripheral gear 222 disposed about the periphery of the housing 212.

The torque member 224 comprises a disc-like lever portion 402 that provides the lever arm for the torque member 224, and a conduit portion 404 that extends away from the lever portion 402 and provides passage for drilling fluids through the gearbox assembly 108. The lever portion 402 comprises a plurality of recesses 406, each of which has a scallop 408 formed therein. Each scallop 408 is formed with a curved surface facing toward the planetary gear mechanism of the gearbox assembly 108 and toward the direction of rotation of the torque member 224. As the driver gear 206 rotates the planet gears 220, the planet gears 220 roll along the peripheral gear 222, causing the torque member 224 to rotate within the gearbox assembly 108. The housing 212 is generally filled with a lubricant through which the various moving parts of the gearbox assembly 108 move. As the torque member 224 rotates through the lubricant, the scallops 408 direct a flow of lubricant toward the planetary gear set 218, resulting in circulation of lubricant through the gearbox assembly 108.

The torque member 224 further comprises a plurality of spacers 410 coupled to an upper surface 412 of the torque member 224. The spacers 410 provide a support plane for the lid plate 216 of the gearbox assembly 108 that is above an upper surface of the planet gears 220, such that the planet gears 220 do not contact the lid plate 216 during operation. The spacers 410 are located in the interstitial spaces between the planet gears 220, and each spacer 410 has a curved surface 460 that follows the curvature of a neighboring planet gear 220 to direct a flow of lubricant to the mating surfaces of the planet gear 220 and the peripheral gear 226. In some embodiments, the curved surface 460 may be angled instead. Each spacer 410 is fastened to the torque member 224 by a plurality of fasteners 414.

FIG. 4C is a top view of the gearbox assembly 108 with top plates removed to expose internal components of the gearbox assembly 108. The spacers 410 are shown in relation to the planet gears 220, with a gap 462 formed by the curved surface of a spacer 410 and the outer extent of a planet gear 220. The gap 462 directs lubricant to flow toward the mating surfaces of the planet gears 220 and the peripheral gear 222. The recesses 406 of the torque member 224 are also shown in relation to the planet gears 220. Each planet gear 220 is located in a position such that openings 416 formed in each planet gear 220 register with the scallops 408 of the torque member 224. The scallops 408 direct a flow of lubricant toward the planet gears 220, and the openings 416 in the planet gears 220 facilitate flow of the lubricant to the upper surface of the planet gears 220 and to the lid plate 216 of the gearbox assembly 108.

Each recess 406 has a cutout portion 428 in which the scallop 408 is formed. Each of the scallops 408 in the embodiment of FIG. 4B has a curved surface shaped like a portion of a cylinder. The cylinder has an axis of curvature that is parallel to a first wall 430 of the cutout portion 428 and perpendicular to a second wall 432 of the cutout portion 428. The second wall 432 has a dimension “d” that is substantially similar to the radius of curvature of the surface of the scallops 408. In alternate embodiments, the scallops 408 may have a cylindrical surface with a radius of curvature that is more or less than the dimension “d” of the second wall 432. The scallop may also have a surface that is not curved, but inclined with respect to the upper surface 412 of the torque member 224, forming a corner with the second wall 432.

The first wall 430 of each recess 406 forms an angle α with respect to a radius “R” of the torque member 224 in the embodiment of FIG. 4B. The angle α may be selected for any reason of manufacturability or operability of the apparatus 100, but using an angled recess 406 may facilitate spacing and orientation of various components, such as for example the spacers 410. Additionally, the angled recess 406 provides a radial component to the induced motion of the lubricant toward the periphery of the torque member 224, directing more of the lubricant through the openings 416 in the planet gears.

The openings 416 through the planet gears 220 may be inclined with respect to a central axis of each planet gear 220. The arrow 420 indicates the direction of travel of a planet gear 220 in an exemplary embodiment. The arrows 422 indicate the direction of rotation of the planet gear 220 as it moves along the direction of arrow 420. The inclination of the openings 416 is generally reverse to the direction of rotation of the planet gear 220.

FIG. 4D is a detailed cross-sectional view of the lever portion 402 of the torque member 224 in relation to a planet gear 220. The opening 416 through the planet gear 224 forms an angle θ with respect to a central axis 418 of the spindle 226. The arrow 424 indicates the direction of rotation of the planet gear 220, and the arrow 426 indicates the direction of rotation of the torque member 224. The central axis of each opening 416, projected along two component coordinate axes, one of which is parallel to the central axis 418 of the spindle, has a component parallel to a tangent of the circle defined by the ends of the teeth of the planet gears 220. Thus, each of the openings 416 “leans” in a direction tangent to the rotation of its planet gear 220, but in a direction opposite the direction of rotation. This orientation of the openings 416 with respect to the scallops 408 propagates the pumping of lubricant up from the scallop 408, into the opening 416, and up through the opening 416 and out the top thereof.

The central axis of each opening 416, projected along two component coordinate axes, one of which is parallel to the central axis 418 of the spindle, has a component parallel to a tangent of the circle defined by the ends of the teeth of the planet gears 220. Thus, each of the openings 416 “leans” in a direction tangent to the rotation of its planet gear 220, but in a direction opposite the direction of rotation.

Referring again to FIG. 1B, lubricant is provided to the gearbox assembly 108 by a pump 134, which may be coupled to the apparatus 100 at any point, such as the gearbox assembly 108 as shown in FIG. 1B. The pump 134 may couple to the gearbox assembly 108 at any point along the housing 212 or the lid plate 216 to deliver lubricant into the enclosure 214. Should the pump 134 fail, the lubricant circulation features of the torque member 224 and planet gears 220 will continue circulating lubricant throughout the gearbox assembly 108, so the apparatus 100 may be operated for a time without the pump 134 until an economically advantageous opportunity is found to repair the pump 134.

In alternate embodiments, blades may be formed along the edge of the lever portion 402. The blades may be attached or fastened to the lever portion or formed as an integral part thereof. Blades may also be formed on the upper surface 412 of the lever portion 402. A wall portion of the spacers 410 facing in the direction of rotation of the torque member 224 may also be inclined to any desired degree to facilitate circulation of lubricant through the gearbox assembly 108.

The apparatus 100 includes a means for differentially locating an elevator with respect to the apparatus 100. One such means comprises positioning elevator supports coupled to the apparatus 100 using continuously extendable linear actuators. FIG. 5A is a side view of a linear actuator that may be used to differentially position an elevator with respect to the apparatus 100. The linear actuator of FIG. 5A comprises an outer tube 502 and an inner tube 504. The inner tube moves to any position within a range of extension. An actuator 506 moves the inner tube 504 with respect to the outer tube 502. Connectors 510 at either end may be used to couple the linear actuator 500 to the apparatus 100, the connector 510 at a first end being coupled to a stationary point or frame of the apparatus 100, and a second end being coupled to elevator supports coupled to the apparatus 100.

In one embodiment, the linear actuator 500 may be used as a thruster 118. FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the linear actuator 500 of FIG. 5A. A rod 512 is disposed within a bore 518 of the inner tube 504. The rod 512 is threaded with a bushing 514 disposed in the inner tube 504. The actuator 506 is a rotational actuator that rotates the rod 512 within the threaded bushing 514 to extend or retract the inner tube 504. A bearing 520 ensures the rod 512 travels within the bore 518 without contacting the inner surface of the bore 518. A cap 516 prevents the threaded bushing 514 from contacting the actuator 506 when the inner tube 504 is fully retracted. The actuator 506 of FIGS. 5A and 5B is pneumatically driven by a pneumatic source 522 coupled to the actuator 506 by a conduit 524. In other embodiments, hydraulic or electromechanical actuators may be used to turn the rod 512. Additionally, other types of linear actuators, such as hydraulic or pneumatic piston actuators, may be used.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the gripper assembly 120 of FIG. 1A. The gripper assembly 120 comprises a pair of grippers 602, each of which is actuated by a pair of linear actuators 604. The linear actuators 604 are pivotably coupled to a base member 606 at a peripheral portion thereof. Each gripper 602 is also coupled to a central portion of the base member 606 by a flexible connector 608. The central portion of the base member 606 comprises a friction member 610. The flexible connectors 608 are coupled to the friction member 610 in a way that a surface of the friction member 610 contacts a pipe when the pipe is disposed in the gripper assembly 120.

A pair of pivot rods 614 couples each side of the base member 606 to a positioner 612 that positions the gripper assembly 120 in a longitudinal direction. A positioning rod 616 is coupled to the positioner 612 and to a linear actuator (not shown) of any convenient type to raise and lower the gripper assembly 120 as needed. A thruster 618 is coupled to the base member 606 and to a frame offset 620, which is coupled to the positioner 612.

In operation, the positioning rod 616 moves the gripper assembly 120 to the desired longitudinal position. The thruster 618 extends or retracts to adjust the radial position of the gripper assembly 120. Once properly positioned, the linear actuators 604 extend, wrapping the flexible connectors 608 around the pipe joint to be addressed by the apparatus 100. The positioning rod 616 and thruster 618 deploy to align the pipe joint with the stub 126 of the gearbox assembly 108 (FIGS. 1, 2, 4A). When the pipe physically contacts the stub, the motor assembly 106 rotates the stub 126 to thread into the pipe joint. When the threads engage, the motor assembly 106 rotates the pipe joint within the gripper assembly 120. The surface of the friction member 610 contacting the pipe joint develops a frictional force against the pipe joint, which drives the pipe joint against one or the other of the flexible connectors 608 and grippers 602 in a locking manner. The gripper assembly 120 may thus be said to be “self-locking” under torque from the motor assembly 106.

In one embodiment the flexible connectors 608 may be roller chains. In other embodiments, the flexible connectors 608 may comprise articulated connectors of another type, for example a plurality of rods coupled with pins. In other embodiments, the flexible connectors 608 may comprise one or more cables. In some embodiments, the flexible connectors 608 are coupled to the friction member 610 at a peripheral portion thereof, and a central portion of the friction member 610 extends away from the base member 606 to provide a substantially flat surface for contacting the pipe. In some embodiments, the flat surface of the friction member 610 positioned for contacting the pipe is serrated for better engagement with the pipe surface. In some embodiments, the flexible connectors 608 may also have serrated contact surfaces for improved engagement with the pipe surface.

The pipe handler is configured to rotate for best access to processing positions. FIG. 7 is a detail view of a rotational actuator 700 according to another embodiment. The rotational actuator 700 comprises a rotational coupling 704 coupled to a drive unit 710. The rotational coupling 704 comprises a plurality of teeth 712, each of which is tipped with a roller 706. The rollers extend beyond the ends of the teeth 712 to present a rolling contact surface. The rollers engage with recesses 708 of a sprocket 702 coupled to the swivel 128 of the pipe handler. The rotational actuator 700 is mounted to the housing 132 of the gearbox assembly 108 (FIG. 1A) to provide a stationary reference for rotating the swivel 128. As the rotational coupling 704 rotates, a roller 706 enters engagement with a recess 708 of the sprocket 702. The roller 706 rolls along the internal surface of the recess 708, providing torque to the sprocket 702 while minimizing friction along the surface of the recess 708. Wear on the sprocket 702 is thus reduced, while wear on the rollers 706 is easily remedied by replacing the rotational actuator 700 at a convenient time.

In general, o-rings used in the apparatus 100 comprise a compliant material, such as a polymeric material. The o-rings may have a circular cross-section, or they may have a different cross-sectional shape, if convenient. For example, sealing members may be used that have a square or rectangular cross-sectional shape, an oval or ellipsoidal cross-sectional shape, a polygonal cross-sectional shape (e.g. triangular, hexagonal, etc.), or any other convenient regular or irregular cross-sectional shape (e.g. star-shaped, plus-shaped, lobed, spiraled, etc.). Structural components of the apparatus 100 generally comprise steel, such as any carbon or stainless steel, or any desired alloy.

While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. 

1. A top drive assembly, comprising: a frame; a rotation assembly coupled to the frame, the rotation assembly comprising a fluid conduit disposed therethrough, the fluid conduit disposed within an isolation sleeve comprising a pressure sensor; a torque assembly rotatably coupled to the fluid conduit, the torque assembly comprising one or more gears and a fluid circulator; a screw-actuated tilt thruster coupled to the frame; and an articulated pipe handler coupled to the frame.
 2. The top drive assembly of claim 1, wherein the fluid conduit is disposed through a motor coupled to the torque assembly.
 3. The top drive assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more gears are arranged in a planetary arrangement.
 4. The top drive assembly of claim 1, wherein the fluid conduit is coupled to a gooseneck by a seal block comprising a plurality of seals, each of which is coupled to a pressure sensor.
 5. The top drive assembly of claim 1, wherein the fluid circulator is a torque member.
 6. The top drive assembly of claim 5, wherein the torque member comprises a central passageway that couples to the fluid conduit.
 7. The top drive assembly of claim 1, wherein the torque assembly comprises a driver gear coupled to a rotor shaft of the rotation assembly and to a plurality of planet gears.
 8. The top drive assembly of claim 7, wherein the torque assembly further comprises a torque member coupled to the planet gears, and the planet gears are coupled to a peripheral gear.
 9. The top drive assembly of claim 8, wherein the fluid conduit is rotationally coupled to the torque member.
 10. The top drive assembly of claim 9, wherein the torque member comprises a plurality of surfaces angled toward the direction of rotation of the torque member and toward the planet gears.
 11. The top drive assembly of claim 1, wherein the pipe handler is coupled to the frame by a rotational housing.
 12. The top drive assembly of claim 11, wherein the rotational housing comprises a sprocket disposed around a perimeter of the housing, and a rotor that mates with the sprocket.
 13. The top drive assembly of claim 12, wherein the rotor comprises a plurality of teeth that mate with teeth of the sprocket, and each of the teeth of the rotor comprises a roller.
 14. The top drive assembly of claim 13, wherein a positioner is coupled to the rotational housing.
 15. The top drive assembly of claim 14, wherein the positioner comprises a longitudinal actuator and a radial actuator, both coupled to a base member of the pipe handler.
 16. The top drive assembly of claim 14, wherein a plurality of articulated grippers are coupled to the base member.
 17. The top drive assembly of claim 1, wherein a first end of the tilt thruster couples to a rotational housing of the pipe handler, and a second end of the tilt thruster is slidably coupled to a hanger hanging from the rotational housing.
 18. The top drive assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second screw-actuated tilt thruster, and the two tilt thrusters position the pipe handler through a continuum of angles up to about ±25° from vertical.
 19. A torque assembly for a top drive, comprising: a casing comprising a planetary gear assembly; a circulator coupled to a plurality of planet gears; and a plurality of baffles extending from the circulator between the planet gears.
 20. The torque assembly of claim 19, wherein the circulator is a torque converter.
 21. The torque assembly of claim 19, wherein the circulator comprises a plurality of surfaces inclined in a rotational direction of the circulator and a plurality of attachment points for the planet gears.
 22. The torque assembly of claim 21, wherein the baffles are coupled to the circulator between the attachment points.
 23. The torque assembly of claim 19, wherein the planet gears are rotationally coupled to a peripheral gear coupled to the casing.
 24. The torque assembly of claim 19, wherein circulator comprises a central fluid passageway for flowing a fluid through the torque assembly.
 25. The torque assembly of claim 19, wherein the circulator comprises a plurality of blades inclined toward the planetary gear assembly.
 26. The torque assembly of claim 21, wherein each of the planet gears has a plurality of openings inclined with respect to an axis of the planet gear, each of the openings in periodic registration with one of the inclined surfaces.
 27. A rotational assembly for a top drive apparatus, comprising: a motor assembly comprising a shaft coupled to a rotor, the shaft having a conduit formed therethrough and coupled to a driver gear; and a torque assembly comprising an annular gear and a plurality of planet gears in registration with the driver gear, wherein the planet gears are rotatably coupled to a torque member.
 28. The rotational assembly of claim 27, wherein a pipe is disposed in the conduit and rotationally coupled to the torque member.
 29. The rotational assembly of claim 28, wherein the pipe rotates at a different angular velocity from the shaft.
 30. The rotational assembly of claim 28, wherein the shaft and the pipe cooperatively form an annular space therebetween, and a pressure sensor is in fluid communication with the annular space.
 31. The rotational assembly of claim 30, wherein the annular space is sealed by a seal block comprising at least two seals, each of which is coupled to a pressure sensor.
 32. The rotational assembly of claim 28, wherein the pipe has a plurality of ribs that mate with grooves in the torque member.
 33. The rotational assembly of claim 27, wherein the torque member comprises a plurality of surfaces inclined in a direction of rotation of the torque member.
 34. The rotational assembly of claim 33, wherein the torque member further comprises a plurality of baffles between the planet gears.
 35. The rotational assembly of claim 27, wherein the torque assembly is coupled to the motor assembly by a plurality of inserts that seat in grooves formed in the torque assembly and the motor assembly.
 36. The rotational assembly of claim 27, wherein the motor assembly and the torque assembly have a common rotational axis.
 37. A positioner for a top drive assembly, comprising: a swivel; a strut pivotably coupled to a pivot point of the swivel; a linear actuator slidably coupled to the strut and pivotably coupled to a thrust point of the swivel; and a self-locking gripper assembly coupled to the swivel by a lift actuator.
 38. The positioner of claim 37, wherein the swivel is rotated by a roller wheel in registration with a sprocket on the swivel.
 39. The positioner of claim 37, wherein the linear actuator is a lead-screw actuator.
 40. The positioner of claim 37, wherein the gripper assembly comprises at least two grippers coupled to a base member by flexible linkages.
 41. A pipe handler for a top drive assembly, comprising: a pair of grippers; a linear actuator coupled to each gripper at a thrust end, and pivotably mounted to a base member at a pivot end; and a flexible linkage pivotably coupled to each gripper at a first end and pivotably coupled to the base member at a second end.
 42. The pipe handler of claim 41, wherein the base member is coupled to a frame by a plurality of radial positioners. 